THUNDER BAY -- The intervention of Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu seems to have raised the profile in Ottawa of a pollution issue in Thunder Bay harbour.
Jim Bailey, coordinator of the Thunder Bay and area Remedial Action Plan, has received word that Transport Canada representatives are prepared to travel to the city to discuss the mercury contamination in the north harbour.
"Transport Canada has been in touch with us. They are willing to come here to talk with the Public Advisory Committee," Bailey told Tbnewswatch on Tuesday.
The development comes on the heels of a meeting Hajdu had in January with local stakeholders working on how best to deal with the nearly 400,000 cubic metres of pulpy, mercury-contaminated sediment on the harbour bottom.
At the time, Hajdu promised to ask the ministers of Transport and Environment about the status of the project and to "look for solutions."
She said that in her local discussions she had "heard frustration about the fact that not a lot has been done around the plan," despite several years of study.
Bailey previously indicated that the roles of various government departments and organizations that might be involved in any cleanup must be firmly clarified in order to move forward.
He said Tuesday that he is encouraged by the contact from Transport Canada, saying that until now the department has not been involved in the process to any great extent.
Transport Canada is the legal owner of the harbour bottom.
A spokesperson for the department told Tbnewswatch that the meeting with the Public Advisory Committee will take place in April.
Her statement added that "Transport Canada is aware of the historic pulp and paper contamination at the Port of Thunder Bay North Harbour site and is in discussions internally and with federal partners regarding this matter."
